The Season of Easter
Scripture Selections from the Evangelical Heritage Version® 
following the Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Revised November 14, 2020

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) copyright © 2019 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved.
www.wartburgproject.org 

Lectionary listings from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Sunrise)
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Exodus 15:1–11   
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said: 
I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. 
The horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea. 
2The Lord is my strength and song. 
3The Lord is a warrior. 
The Lord is his name. 
4He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. 
His elite officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 
5The deep waters covered them. 
They sank down to the depths like a stone. 
6Lord, your right hand is glorious in power. 
Lord, your right hand has shattered the enemy. 
7In your great majesty you overthrew those who opposed you. 
You sent out your burning anger. 
It consumed them like stubble. 
8At the blast from your nostrils the waters piled up. 
The flowing waters stood up like a dam. 
The deep waters became solid in the heart of the sea. 
9The enemy said, “I will pursue. 
I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. 
I will do whatever I want with them. 
I will draw my sword, 
and my hand will destroy them.” 
10But you blew with your breath, 
and the sea covered them. 
They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 
11Lord, who is like you among the gods? 
Who is like you, glorious in holiness, 
awesome in praise, working wonders? 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 Corinthians 5:6b–8   
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7Purge out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, just as you are unleavened. For our Passover lamb has been sacrificed, namely, Christ! 8So let us keep celebrating the festival, not with old yeast, not with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Holy Gospel 
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she left and ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she told them, “and we don’t know where they put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5Bending over, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in.
6Then Simon Peter, who was following him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there. 7The cloth that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths, but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, also entered. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.)
10Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, weeping. As she wept, she bent over, looking into the tomb. 12She saw two angels in white clothes sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
14After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.
15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you carried him off, tell me where you laid him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and replied in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means, “Teacher”).
17Jesus told her, “Do not continue to cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father—to my God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” She also told them the things he said to her.

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Day)
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Isaiah 25:6-9
6On this mountain
the Lord of Armies will prepare for all peoples
a banquet of rich food,
a banquet of aged wines,
with the best cuts of meat,
and the finest wines.
7On this mountain
he will destroy the shroud that covers all peoples,
the burial cloth stretched over all nations.
8He has swallowed up death forever!
The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face.
He will take away the shame of his people throughout the earth.
For the Lord has spoken.
9On that day it will be said,
“Look, here is our God!
We waited for him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord!
We waited for him.
Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation!”

Epistle / Second Reading
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
Brothers, I am going to call your attention to the gospel that I preached to you. You received it, and you took your stand on it. 2You are also being saved by that gospel that was expressed in the words I preached to you, if you keep your hold on it—unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: 
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 
4that he was buried, 
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 
5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 
6After that he appeared to over five hundred brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, he appeared also to me, the stillborn child, so to speak. 9For I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God’s church. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not ineffective. On the contrary, I worked more than all of them (and yet it wasn’t my doing, but it was the grace of God, which was with me, that did it). 11So whether it is I or they, that is what we preach, and that is what you believed. 

Holy Gospel 
Mark 16:1–8
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint Jesus. 2Very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3They were saying to each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 
5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6He said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 
8They went out and hurried away from the tomb, trembling and perplexed. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. 

The Second Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 4:32–35
32The whole group of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they held everything in common. 33The apostles continued to testify about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ with great power, and abundant grace was on all of them. 34There was not a needy person among them. For from time to time those who were owners of lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds received from what was sold, 35and laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was distributed to each one according to what anyone needed. 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 1:1–2:2
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have observed and our hands have touched regarding the Word of Life— 2the life appeared, and we have seen it. We testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We are proclaiming what we have seen and heard also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 4We write these things to you so that our joy may be complete. 
5This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say we have fellowship with him but still walk in darkness, we are lying and do not put the truth into practice. 7But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us. 
2:1My children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world. 

Holy Gospel 
John 20:19-31
19On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” 22After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.”
28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The Third Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 3:11–21
11While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people came running toward them in utter amazement in the area called Solomon’s Colonnade. 
12When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and disowned in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. 14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you. 15You killed the Author of Life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16And on the basis of faith in his name, it is the name of Jesus that has strengthened this man, whom you see and know. This faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. 
17“Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just like your leaders. 18But in this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through the mouth of all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. 19Therefore repent and return to have your sins wiped out, 20so that refreshing times may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you. 21He must receive heaven until the times when everything will be restored, as God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 3:1–7
See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are! The world does not know us, because it did not know him. 2Dear friends, we are children of God now, but what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed we will be like him, and we will see him as he really is. 3Everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure. 
4Everyone who commits sin also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. 5You know that he appeared in order to take away our sins and in him there is no sin. 6Anyone who remains in him does not sin. The person who keeps on sinning has not seen him or known him. 
7Dear children, do not let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what is right is righteous just as Jesus is righteous. 

Holy Gospel 
Luke 24:36–49
36As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 
37But they were terrified and frightened and thought they were looking at a ghost. 
38He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While they still did not believe it (because of their joy), and while they were still wondering, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 
42They gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43He took it and ate in front of them. 44He said to them, “These are my words, which I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 
45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49Look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Fourth Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 4:1–12   
As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple guard, and the Sadducees approached them. 2They were very upset because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead in connection with Jesus. 3They arrested them and put them in jail until the next day because it was already evening. 
4But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men increased to about five thousand. 
5The next day, the rulers, the elders, and the experts in the law assembled in Jerusalem 6with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the rest of the high priest’s family. 7After they made Peter and John stand in front of them, they began to question them: “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, 9if we are being questioned today for a kind act that was done for the lame man, as to how this man has been healed, 10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead! By him this man stands before you healed. 11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 
12“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 3:16–24
16This is how we have come to know love: Jesus laid down his life for us. And we also should lay down our lives for our brothers. 17Whoever has worldly wealth and sees his brother in need but closes his heart against him—how can God’s love remain in him? 18Dear children, let us love not only with word or with our tongue, but also in action and truth. 
19This is how we know that we are of the truth and how we will set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God. 22We also receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23This then is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love one another just as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. This is how we know that he remains in us: We know it from the Spirit, whom he has given to us. 

Holy Gospel 
John 10:11–18
11“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, who is not a shepherd, does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13Because he works for money, he does not care about the sheep. 
14“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me 15(just as the Father knows me and I know the Father). And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This is the commission I received from my Father.” 

The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 8:26–40
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is an isolated area.) 27So he got up and went. And there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was on his way home, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. 
29The Spirit told Philip, “Go over there and stay close to that chariot.” 30Philip ran up to it and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet. 
Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 
31The man replied, “How can I unless someone explains it to me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 
32Now the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading was this: 
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, 
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, 
so he does not open his mouth. 
33In his humiliation justice was denied him. 
Who will talk about his generation? 
For his life is taken from the earth. 
34The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak. Starting with that very passage of Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were traveling along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” 
38He ordered the chariot to stop. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they stepped up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away. The eunuch did not see him anymore, but went on his way rejoicing. 
40Philip, however, found himself at Azotus. And as he went from place to place, he preached the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea. 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 4:1–11 (12-21)
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming and is already in the world. 4You are from God, dear children, and you have overcome the false prophets, because the one in you is greater than the one in the world. 5They are from the world. That is why they speak from a worldly perspective and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we can distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 
7Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8The one who does not love has not known God, because God is love. 9This is how God’s love for us was revealed: God has sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we may live through him. 10This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, if God loved us so much, we also should love one another. 

12No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love has been brought to its goal in us. 13This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. 16We also have come to know and trust the love that God has for us. 
God is love. Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love, but complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who continues to be afraid has not been brought to the goal in love. 
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For how can anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, love God, whom he has not seen? 21This then is the command we have from him: The one who loves God should also love his brother. 

Holy Gospel 
John 15:1–8   
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he is going to cut off. And he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will bear more fruit. 
3“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I am going to remain in you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Likewise, you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. 
5“I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him is the one who bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers. Such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this: that you continue to bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”

The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 10:34–48
34Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really am beginning to understand that God does not show favoritism, 35but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36He sent his word to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 
37“You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him. 
39“Indeed, we are witnesses of all the things he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, yet they killed him by hanging him on a cross. 40But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be seen, 41not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had already chosen—by us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that, through his name, everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.” 
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who were listening to the message. 45All the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out, even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. 
Then Peter responded, 47“Certainly no one can refuse water for baptizing these people! They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48He gave directions that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days. 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 5:1–8
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the God who has given birth also loves one who has been born of him. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep his commands. 3In fact, this is love for God: that we keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4because everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5Who is the one who overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 
6This is the one who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ. He did not come by the water alone but by the water and by the blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7In fact, there are three that testify: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three are one. 

Holy Gospel 
John 15:9–17
9“As the Father has loved me, so also I have loved you. Remain in my love. 10If you hold on to my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have held on to my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you these things so that my joy would continue to be in you and that your joy would be complete. 
12“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this: that someone lays down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you continue to do the things I instruct you. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will endure, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17These things I am instructing you, so that you love one another.”

The Ascension of Our Lord
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 1:1-11
I wrote my first book, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began doing and teaching 2until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After he had suffered, he presented himself alive to the apostles with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and told them things about the kingdom of God.
4Once, when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what the Father promised, which you heard from me. 5For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6So when they were together with him, they asked, “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9After he said these things, he was taken up while they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10They were looking intently into the sky as he went away. Suddenly, two men in white clothes stood beside them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Epistle / Second Reading
Ephesians 1:15-23
15This is why, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I never stop giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Christ fully. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, just how rich his glorious inheritance among the saints is, 19and just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe. 20It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church. 23The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Holy Gospel 
Luke 24:44-53
44He said to them, “These are my words, which I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49Look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
50He led them out as far as the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51And while he was blessing them, he parted from them and was taken up into heaven. 52So they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53They were continually in the temple courts, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The Seventh Sunday of Easter
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Acts 1:12–26
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 
13When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John were there, also James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14All of them kept praying together with one mind, along with the women, with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 
15In those days, when the group there numbered about 120 people, Peter stood up among the brothers and said, 16“Gentlemen, brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David about Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17Judas was counted as one of us and was given a share in this ministry. 
18“Now this man acquired a field with what he was paid for his wicked act. When he fell headfirst, his middle burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. 19This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, and so in their own language that field was called Akeldema, which means Field of Blood. 20Indeed, it is written in the book of Psalms: 
May his residence be deserted. 
Let there be no one dwelling in it. 
And, 
let someone else take his position. 
21“Therefore it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from his baptism by John until the day Jesus was taken up from us, become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 
23They proposed two: Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” 
26Then they assigned lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was counted with the eleven apostles. 

Epistle / Second Reading
1 John 5:9–15   
9If we accept the testimony of people, God’s testimony is even greater, because it is the testimony that God gave about his Son. 10The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in him, but the one who does not believe has made God out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God gave about his Son. 11This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 
14This is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we also know that we receive the things we have asked from him. 

Holy Gospel 
John 17:11b–19
“Holy Father, protect them by your name, which you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I kept those you gave me safe in your name. I protected them and not one of them was destroyed, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 
13“But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so that they may be filled with my joy. 14I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I am not asking that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the Evil One. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 
17“Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19I sanctify myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

The Coming of the Holy Spirit: The Day of Pentecost
Lutheran Service Book 3-Year Lectionary, Year B
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Old Testament / First Reading
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord was upon me. He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley, which was full of bones. 2He had me pass through them and go all over among them. There were very many on the valley floor, and they were very dry.
3He said to me, “Son of man, can these dry bones live?” I answered, “Lord God, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’”
5This is what the Lord God says to these bones.
I am about to make breath enter you so that you will live. 6I will attach tendons to you. I will put flesh back on you. I will cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
7So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling, as the bones came together, one bone connecting to another. 8As I watched, tendons were attached to them, then flesh grew over them, and skin covered them. But there was no breath in them.
9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind that this is what the Lord God says. From the four winds, come, O wind, and breathe into these slain so that they may live.”
10So I prophesied as he commanded me. Breath entered them, and they came back to life. They stood on their feet, a very, very large army.
11Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up. Our hope is lost. We have been completely cut off.’ 12Therefore, prophesy and say to them that this is what the Lord God says. My people, I am going to open your graves and raise you up from your graves and bring you back to the soil of Israel. 13Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. I will settle you on your own land, and you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”

Epistle / Second Reading
Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently.
5Now there were godly Jewish men from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6When this sound was heard, a crowd came together and was confused, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7They were completely baffled and said to each other, “Look, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; 11Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own languages the wonderful works of God.” 12They were all amazed and perplexed. They kept saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocked them and said, “They are full of new wine.”
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them: “Men of Judea, and all you residents of Jerusalem, understand this, and listen closely to my words. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. 16On the contrary, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17This is what God says will happen in the last days:
I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the sky above,
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and a rising cloud of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And this will happen: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Holy Gospel 
John 15:26–27; 16:4b-15 
26“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27And you also are going to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.” 
16:4b“I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 
5“But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Yet because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth: It is good for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment: 9about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 
12“I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears he will speak. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I said that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.”